Pope Francis opens historic summit on child sexual abuse

Pope Francis opened a historic summit meeting Thursday morning devoted to the scourge of child sexual abuse, an issue that has for decades devastated and eroded faith in some corners of his vast church while being utterly ignored and denied in others.

“We hear the cry of the little ones asking for justice,” he said. “The holy people of God look to us and expect from us not simple and obvious condemnations, but concrete and effective measures.”

Bringing together church leaders from around the world at the Vatican, Francis said that the church was obliged to discuss the extent to which abuse was afflicting the church and humanity in a “sincere and in-depth manner.”

The pope called the meeting to educate the pastors of his global flock, and he has made it clear that he intends it to be a “catechesis,” meaning that all of the bishops and religious leaders could undergo a conversion of spirit and truly understand the depth and universality of the problem.

Via NYT